1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ultrasonic stimulating pet toy and, more specifically, to an improved mouse-like pet toy comprising a sound chip assembly that emits ultrasonic vocalizations that stimulate a greater interaction by cats.
2. Description of the Related Art
Domestic cats are specialized hunters whose techniques require crypticity for success. Most domestic animals depend on both acoustic and visual cues to hunt prey; however, an importance of acoustic cues is especially emphasized for cats because they possess better acoustic discrimination abilities than dogs. Cats respond physiologically to higher-pitched sounds; scratches, noises and high-pitched mouse calls act upon an innate releasing mechanism which directs a cat's attention to a source of the sound. It isn't until after the cat's attention is gained when a moving source can elicit any pouncing movement by the cat.
Domestic cats make roving searches of their indoor environments in search of prey. There are many toys known in the art to encourage this natural, instinctive behavior. Other toys aim to also stimulate a cat's pouncing abilities as a form of playful interaction between the cat and a toy.
Because mice and birds are common prey hunted by cats, many of these toys take a form that resembles one of these natural preys. U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,053, to the present inventor, is such a toy, wherein a simulated, cloth mouse comprises a sound chip that emits a prerecorded sound in response to its engagement. Similar toys exist to resemble birds.
Although the high pitched squeak emitted from bird and mice toys appear to sound the same, birds and mice utter distinct and specialized vocalizations. The repetition rates, the number of repetitions, the frequencies and the intricate phrases that quantify the vocalizations vary between the two species. A study of the vocalization sequences made by mice shows that they emit ultrasonic vocalizations that display frequencies having unexpected richness. The present invention is a pet toy that comprises a means to replicate the vocalizations studied in mice, wherein a quantitative description of the studied vocalizations are used as the bases for the toy claimed herein.